BELLEVILLE - "Touch Me" is a book six years in the making through one local woman's calling from God.
Jenny Hagemeyer, founder of Promise Land Ministries, recently published her first book, more than six years after being called by God to write it.
"I'm not a writer, and I don't have a college degree," Hagemeyer said. "I write under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It's not me."
On Jan. 19, 2003, Hagemeyer said she had a dream where people were gathered around a table, excitedly reading a book. She said her curiosity itched to know the title of the book, and when she final saw it, she read, "Touch Me" by Jenny Hagemeyer.
"I woke up at 4 a.m. and began to write," Hagemeyer said.
As the years flew by, Hagemeyer said she continued to scribble things down in her journal.
Some of her inspiration came from day to day living, but other writings came at unexpected times.
"I know this sounds different," Hagemeyer said, laughing. "But I would write while I was sleeping."
When she woke up, Hagemeyer said she would put the words on paper.
One day years after her initial dream, Hagemeyer remembered asking God, "When am I going to write that book? And God said, 'You're writing it.'"
In 2008, while planning for one of the ministry's renewals, Hagemeyer said God gave her the word "abundant" as an acronym: A Bold Undefeated New Daring Abnormal Non-resistant Tapestry.
"After the renewal, (God) said, 'This is the outline for your book,'" she said.
Hagemeyer said she began to copy all her writings since 2003, a foot-high stack of papers, and sort them into the acronym categories.
In the midst of sorting, Hagemeyer said God still was teaching her things to put in the book.
"This book is about my personal journey through brokenness that led me to not only discover God's love for me but begin to experience the abundant life that he has called us to have," Hagemeyer said.
The book includes her struggles through divorce, severe back pain, depression and devastating illness of a child, she said.
All these things can block individuals from listening to God, she said.
"Have you ever tried to be angry and love at the same time? You can't do it," she said. "That's what this book is about - the healing process."
"For years, I only knew him as a Bible God," Hagemeyer said, noting that she accepted Christ into her heart at age 6.
When she was an adult, God revealed the darkness of fear, rejection, selfishness, anger and unforgiveness that Hagemeyer said was hidden in her heart.
"When I gave those pieces of my heart to him, I began to experience his blessings of joy, peace and love."
Through the new book, Hagemeyer said she hopes God will touch others' lives as he touched hers. In the future, she plans to develop a study guide to use with the book.
Hagemeyer will have a book signing from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Friendship Bookstore, Lewistown.
Her book also is available online at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, BooksAMillion.com and iUniverse.com.
The author thanked the Rev. Bernard Carpenter, who wrote the book forward; her husband Fred, who painted the cover for the book; and Amy Franklin and Regina Jack who helped with editing and technology.
